Back to the Drawing Board: Max Planck’s Maxim
The physicist Max Planck (actually born as Marx Planck) is best known for the development of his universal constant that defines physics at the most basic level. It is an important number, and today it even defines the kilogram and therefore most engineering units. Regardless, in my daily life I have little use for it.Max Planks is less known for his Principle, which, to me, is much more useful and I encounter it almost on a daily basis. Max Planck provided this Principle in his Scientific Autobiography (and Other Papers…
HII Dry Dock Gate to Become Part of Sustainable Fish Reef
HII announced its Newport News Shipbuilding division partnered with the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) to donate and sink a former dry dock caisson gate offshore, giving it new life as part of an artificial reef.Caisson gates are used at the harbor end of a dry dock, with pipes inside allowing for water from the James River to enter when NNS needs to flood the dry dock. This particular gate, originally put into service at NNS in 1967, was part of a dry dock no longer in use at the shipyard.NNS crews worked to prepare the caisson gate…
QinetiQ Signs Contract with ASV
QinetiQ, as part of a new Marine Surface Target Service, has signed a contract with Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASV) for the supply and operational support of autonomous surface target vessels. The partnership is part of a new initiative enabling QinetiQ's Marine Surface Target Service to rapidly and effectively meet customer needs for trials and training against appropriate targets. The Marine Surface Target Service is an innovative addition to the wider QinetiQ Target Services, which offers aerial and underwater targets for ‘real’ test, evaluation and training.
Braemar Opens Crude and Products Ship Broking Operation
Braemar Seascope said it is strengthening its ship broking activities by opening a new division within the group’s Houston offices focusing on the large crude and products tanker trades. The new operation will launch following the employment of four tanker brokers: Nelson Hebert, Clint DeAtley, Chip Kelman and John Anderson have all come across town to the Braemar office. They will be joined by ex-MJLF broker and past Tanker Pacific chartering executive, Lynne Rutherford.
AWS Ocean Energy Gets Major Investment from Alstom
AWS Ocean Energy Ltd, one of Scotland’s pioneering wave energy companies, announced that it had secured a major investment from Alstom, a global leader in power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure. Alstom acquires a 40% equity stake in Inverness-based AWS Ocean Energy. This will give the company the financial strength to expand its operations and accelerate the development of its AWS-III wave power technology. It is Alstom’s first-ever investment in the wave energy sector. The announcement was made June 21 2011 at Edinburgh Castle, at an event hosted by Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister. Alex Salmond, the First Minister…
Australia Maritime Transport Security Bill Introduced
The Maritime Transport Security Bill has been introduced in the Australian Parliament. When introducing the bill, John Anderson, Minister for Transport and Regional Services, discussed (on pages 19637-19639 of the Hansard) the threat posed by terrorism and the importance of seaborne trade. As proposed, the bill would establish a regulatory framework centered around development of security plans for ships and other maritime transport operations. It would, among other things, codify the ISPS Code into domestic law. Source: HK Law
Australia Cautions Against Unilateral Security Measures
The Honorable John Anderson, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and the Minister for Transport and Regional Services delivered a Speech in which he discussed the globalization of the maritime shipping industry and cautioned against unilateral maritime security measures, such as pre-screening of cargo, that go beyond the universal measures being developed at the IMO. Source: HK Law
Australia to Inspect All Single-Hull Tankers
All single-hulled oil tankers visiting Australian ports will be subject to increased inspections, under new measures to protect the marine environment announced today. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services, John Anderson, said further protection would come through the introduction of legislation to increase the amount of compensation following an oil spill to $480 million. Anderson said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has upgraded its inspection regime after the sinking of the Prestige off Spain and the European Commission's subsequent crackdown on certain vessels. Anderson said AMSA's…
